Process of utilizing waste portions of printers&#39; ink-rollers.



UNITED STATES PATENT FFICEe PROCESS OF UTILIZING WASTE PORTlONS OFPRINTERS INK-ROLLERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,821, dated October31, 1899.

Application filed May 23, 1896. Serial No. 592,855. (No specimens.)

To a, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OKICHI TAKAMINE, a subject of the Emperor ofJapan, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented a new and useful Method of Recovering and Utilizing theWaste Portions of Printers-Ink-Roller Coverings and Similar Material, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of recovering and utilizing the wasteportions of print ers rollers and similar material.

Printers rollers and other articles as usually manufactured are madeprincipally from a composition of glue and glycerin. The glycerincomponent of the compound, for the sake of cheapness, is frequentlyreplaced by a mixture of glycerin and syrup or glucose and othermaterial. A composition formed from these substances is soft, elastic,and pliable, resembling rubber by touch and in some of itscharacteristics, and is peculiarly adapted and extensively used for thecoverings for the ink and similar rollers of printing-presses and formany other purposes. When this covering becomes worn or otherwise unfitfor use, it is removed and replaced by a new covering, the old orworn-out or useless covering, which does not remelt, being thrown away.Itis the purpose of the present invention to recover and utilize thecomponent constituents of this Waste material.

In the accomplishment of the desired object I first cut or comminute thewaste portions referred to into fine particles in any suitable mannerand then steep the comminuted or divided mass in a sufficient quantityof water, preferably cold water, to cover the entire mass from a periodvarying from three to twelve hours or longer. The waste portion of therollers may be steeped in water from twelve to twenty-four hours andthen cut smaller or comminuted, the object being to make the cuttingoperation much easier. After steeping the mass, as above described, theliquid is drawn off and the mass again steeped with a fresh supply ofwater in the same manner, while a fresh quantity of the mass is steepedin the liquid first drawn off, thus the liquid last drawn off formingthe first bath for the next succeeding batch or mass of the material .tobe treated. In this manner the soluble matter contained in thecomminuted mass and consisting of glycerin, syrup, glucose, borax, andother soluble components of the roller material is separated out bydiffusion and passes into solution with the water, while at the sametime the residue, consisting mainly of glue, but possibly containingother insoluble substances, swells up and remains in the insolublecondition.

The strength of the liquid in the soluble matter extracted can beconcentrated by repeatedly treating fresh quantities of the mass untilthe solution contains from fifteen to thirty per cent. of solublematter.

The liquid containing or holding in solution the soluble matter, asdescribed, after clarification or filtration, is then evaporated in avacuum-pan or in any other suitable or Wellknown manner and to anysuitable or desirable consistency, the resulting product being a mixtureof glycerin, syrup, glucose, and other soluble constituents of theoriginal material and possibly some quantity of the glue. This mixturemay be utilized in the manufacture of fresh roller material byadmixture, if desired, with fresh quantities of glue, glycerin, syrup,glucose, and the like.

The remaining portion or insoluble glue is lightly pressed in canvas orin any other suitable or convenient way to express therefrom as large aportion as possible or desirable of the water or liquid absorbedthereby, and to the pressed mass is added nitric, hydrochloric, oracetic acid in the proportion of from five to twenty per cent, byweight. This mass is then gradually warmed or heated up to about 180Fahrenheit, when the insoluble particles or portions of glue willdissolve and the lumps disappear into a thin solution. The liquid iskept heated a sufficient length of time to permit any oil, varnish, orthe like contained in the original mass to rise to the top in the formof a scum, which is suitably skimmed off or otherwise suitably removed.The liquid is then cooled and, if desired, is finally evaporated in anysuitable manner and at as low a temperature as possible to the form of athick sticky liquid. This liquid forms an excellent liquid glue and maybe sold for use in place of the ordinary liquid glue of commerce forpasting, gluing, joining, and the like.

Instead of treating the glue part of the mass with acids this part maybe melted by subjecting the same to high pressure or superheated steam,or, if desired, a small quantity of the acid may also be used in conjunction with the steam.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that all the componentsof the original material, which contained about thirty per cent. of glueand about seventy per cent. of glycerin, glucose, syrup, and the likeand which heretofore have been thrown away and wasted, are recovered andutilized, and that, too,in a most economical and efficient manner.

It is desirable to further reduce the liquid first obtained in thetreatment as above doscribedthat is, the liquid obtained by steeping themass of comminuted material in waterin order to recover and utilize intheir pure state any valuable components thereof. In order to carry outthis idea, I first treat such liquid with a suitable ferment, such asyeast or taka-moto, and preferably the latter, on account of its strongfermenting power, in order to ferment the sugars contained in suchliquid and convert the same into alcohol, which may be readily separatedand recovered by distillation at ordinary steam temperature. Theremaining liquor, which con sists mainly of glycerin, may then beevaporated preferably in a vacuum-pan at a low temperature to properconsistency and finally distilled with superheated steam. The resultingproduct will be the commercially-pure glycerin originally employed,which may be used over again or sold for use for other purposes forwhich glycerin is adapted. Any mineral matter, such as borax, employedin the original material will during this operation crystallize out andmay be recovered in the pure state by subjecting to recrystallizationfor further use.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I recover all thevaluable constitucuts of the material treated, either in their originalor pure state or else in a state in which they may be used and sold asmerchantable commodities. It will also be seen that I recover or convertinto utilizable and commercial form all the valuable constituents of amaterial which has heretofore been wasted and thrown away.

I do not desire to be limited or restricted to the exact details ofoperation set forth, as many variations therefrom would suggestthemselves to persons skilled in the art and still fall within thespirit and scope of my invention; but,

Having set forth the object and nature of my invention and a method ofcarrying the same into practical effect, what I claim as new and useful,and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An improved process for the utilization of the described or analogouswastes, which consists in obtaining a solution of the several solubleconstituents with the glue precipitated or undissolved (or partially so)therein; then in separating from the solution the insoluble glue, andfinally in separating from the soluble and from each other the materialsdissolved therein and recovering one or more of such soluble materials;substantially as set forth.

2. An improved process for the utilization of the described or analogouswastes, which consists in obtaining a solution of the several solubleconstituents with the glue precipitated or undissolved (or partially so)therein; then in separating the solution from the insoluble glue; thenin separating from the solution and from each other the materialsdissolved therein and recovering one or more of such soluble materials;and finally in drying the glue; substantially as set forth.

3. An improved process of treating wastes, substantially as described,comprising glue and materials soluble in water, which consists intreating the wastes with water to dissolve the several solublematerials; then in separating from the soluble the insoluble glue; andfinally in separating from the solution and from each other thematerials dissolved therein and recovering one or more of such solublematerials; substantially as set forth.

4. The improved process of treating wastes, substantially as described,comprising glue, glycerin and a saccharinous material, which consists intreating the wastes with water to dissolve the glycerin and saccharinousmaterial; in separating the solution from the glue, and in fermentingand distilling the solution, whereby the saccharinous material will beconverted into a product of fermentation and the glycerin will berecovered; substantially as set forth.

5. The improved process of treating wastes, substantially as described,comprising glue, glycerin and a saccharinous material, which consists intreating the wastes with water to dissolve the glycerin and saccharinousmaterials, in separating the solution from the glue, in fermenting thesolution to convert the saccharinous material into a product offermentation, in distilling off such product of fermentation, and infinally recovering the glycerin from the residuum of such distillation;substantially as set forth.

6. The improved process of treating wastes, substantially as described,comprising glue, glycerin and a saccharinous material, which consists intreating the wastes with water to dissolve the glycerin and saccharinousmaterial, in separating the solution from the glue, in fermenting thesolution to convert the sac charinous material into a product offermentation, in distilling off such product of fermentation, inevaporating the residuum of such distillation, and in distilling theevapo rated solution for the recovery of the glycerin; substantially asset forth.

7. The method of recovering and utilizing the waste portions ofprinters-ink-roller coverings and similar material which consists insteeping the material in water to dissolve out the soluble portionsthereof, then fermenting the resulting fluid, as and for the purpose setforth.

8. The method of recovering and utilizing the Waste portions ofprinters-ink-roller coverings and similar material which consists inremoving the soluble constituents thereof,

then fermenting, the removed portions and finally distilling the same,as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The method of recovering and utilizing the Waste portions ofprinters-ink-roller coverings and similar material which consists inremoving the soluble constituents thereof, then treating the removedportion with takamoto and finally distilling the same, as and for thepurpose set forth.

10. The method of recovering and utilizing the Waste portions ofprinters-inkroller coverings and similar material Which consists inremoving the soluble constituents thereof, then treating such removedportion to recover therefrom in the form of alcohol the sugarconstituents thereof, and finally evaporating and distilling theremaining liquor, as and for the purpose set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 16th day of May,1896, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOKICHI TAKAMINE.

\Vitnesses:

S. E. DARBY, FRANK T. BROWN.

